Thornley

Fordyce (1857) notes: "the baptismal font stands near the porch"; but, in his entry for Wolsingham, Fordyce writes: "the present baptismal font was presented by Lady F. Fitzclarence; and the basement of the original one, which was of Frosterley marble, lies in the church-yard, the pillar and basin having been removed to the church school-room at Tow Law." The Durham Diocese web site [www.dur.ac.uk/durham.diocese] reports: "The original font of Frosterley marble is now in the Parish Church of St. Bartholomew in Thornley Village (four miles to the east of Wolsingham Church)". [NB: it is not clear whether the font near the porch, as reported in Fordyce, is the same one that was moved from Wolsingham, or the one Fordyce reports as sent to Tow Law -- Fordyce (ibid.) mentions a "large and coomodious church school for boys and girls" in Tow Law, which is "situated at the northern extremity of the township of Thornley"; there is no mention of a font in the entry for Tow Law]. The Keys to the Past website [http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=D6895] [accessed 13 January 2010] notes: "The altar rail, given by the congregation in 1865, is made of the local Frosterley marble, as is the font, which was found broken in a Wolsingham garden and repaired before being installed. In 1891".